


Air Rescue

by hardboiledbaby



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 04:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hardboiledbaby/pseuds/hardboiledbaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He is never quite so alive as when he flies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Air Rescue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Quoshara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quoshara/gifts).



He is never quite so alive as when he flies.

It fires him up from the inside, takes him away from the things that weigh him down: The bad memories of his childhood. The waking nightmare that was 'Nam. The daily grind of what we do now, when it seems like all we get are either long stretches of tedious nothing or moments of heart-stopping fear. When he flies, he leaves all those things behind. I can see it in his face, hear it in his voice.

And a part of me hates it.

Selfish bastard that I am, I want him safe and sound, with me. Out of harm's way, not off into the wild blue in that sorry excuse for a helicopter, held together by spit, duct tape, and a prayer. I would ground him if I could, tether him to my side where he belongs, where I need him to be. But I won't. If I even tried, the light inside him would go out and a part of him would die. I can't do that to him.

So when he says, "I'm going up, see you later," I let him go with a smile and a wave. No matter how casual his words are, they're his promise to me that he's coming back, and he knows I will hold him to it. Then, when he returns, I show him what it means to be safe, and he shows me what it feels like to fly.


End file.
